CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns general manager Ray Farmer acknowledged the fans' frustration over the news that Josh Gordon is facing a possible year-long ban from the league for failing a drug test, and assured them the team will fight to win without him if it happens.

ESPN reported Friday that Gordon tested positive for marijuana and has been informed he'll miss at least 16 games. He has the right to appeal and is expected to do so.

"I would say that frustration is a natural part of it,'' Farmer said. "I think that's what was felt and heard when that announcement was made, so I don't fault the fans for their reaction. I don't fault anyone for being disappointed. To that end, it's our job to make those decisions less painful. And in time, it's no different than if a player was going out during the offseason and broke an ankle or tore an ACL playing pickup hoops or doing something different.

Cleveland Browns GM Ray Farmer looks back at the 2014 NFL DraftCleveland Browns General Manager Ray Farmer talks about their selections in the 2014 NFL Draft including how they ended up getting Johnny Manziel. He also addresses what the team will do if Josh Gordon is suspended for a year for another failed drug test.

"We have to build a football team that can win regardless of who is missing. I think that's the charge that we have. That's my job, that's coach Pettine's job is to prepare this football team to win games regardless of who's missing."

Farmer is prohibited by league rules from directly confirming the report is true, but indicated the team is making contingency plans. He's also declined to comment on the report by agent Ken Sarnoff that receiver Nate Burleson underwent arm surgery two weeks ago to repair a plate in left arm he broke in two places last September.

"I know it's frustrating for a lot of people not to have information and it seems like we're somehow avoiding the topic,'' he said. "But the reality is that, to some degree, my hands are tied for what I can say (about Gordon). So there is really nothing I can contribute to this conversation other than I have no comment or I will add clarity when there is clarity."

A league source told cleveland.com on Friday that the several members of the Browns organization have known about Gordon's possible suspension for at least a week, well in advance of Thursday night's first round of the draft.

Regardless, the Browns opted to pass on former Clemson star wide receiver Sammy Watkins at No. 4 and trade out of the pick. They moved down five spots to No. 9 with the Bills, who jumped up and grabbed Watkins. The Browns -- who picked up a first- and fourth-rounder in 2015 from the Bills -- then moved back up a notch to No. 8 and landed cornerback Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert.

Immediately thereafter, the Browns went to work on moving back up from No. 26 to draft one of "a bundle of players'' that included quarterback Johnny Manziel. Ultimately, they climbed up to No. 22 to land Johnny Football. The city lit up and phones rang off the hook in Berea for season tickets -- until the Gordon story broke and killed the Johnny euphoria.

As the draft wore on, fans grew increasingly frustrated as Farmer passed on receiver after receiver from a class widely regarded as the deepest at that position in years. When he came out Friday night and drafted offensive tackle Joel Bitonio with the No. 35 pick instead of a receiver such as Marqise Lee, social media and talk radio were crackling with criticism.

Farmer watched a total of 12 receivers fly off the board in the first two rounds, including Vanderbilt's Jordan Matthews, Colorado's Paul Richardson and Indiana's Cody Lattimer. All told, 33 receivers were drafted, but none by the Browns.

"I would tell the fans that are in panic mode because we didn't draft a wide receiver is that patience really tells the tale,'' he said. "There are plenty of opportunities for us to address what everyone would believe is a need but in our opinion, there is plenty of opportunity to add players, to change the roster and to really make a difference.''

Farmer then turned the tables and asked reporters a question.

"How many receivers that were with the Seattle Seahawks during the regular season last year and through the beginning of the playoffs, were drafted players?'' he said. "The vast majority of those guys were not drafted, so there's definitely an opportunity to play with and identify talented players that can help your football team.''

By the end of the evening, the Browns had reportedly signed several undrafted rookie receivers, including Florida State's Kenny Shaw, Ball State's Willie Snead and San Jose State's Chandler Jones.

"When you look at the number of receivers that were drafted and when they were drafted, we made the decisions that we made because we really valued the players that we got at a certain point,'' he said. "We weren't in position to take the top-rated (receivers) on our board. Those guys had already been drafted.''

Farmer assured fans -- who watched Gordon tear up the league to the tune of an NFL-high 1,646 yards last season -- that the receiving corps will be in good shape by opening day.

“I’m not concerned with the depth at wide receiver because we play games in September,'' he said. "There’s still plenty of opportunity for us to acquire players, whether it’s (through) trades, draft someone, whether it’s players who are cut. There’s always opportunities to acquire players.”

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